Poinsettia plant named &#39;jacaimee&#39;

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of Poinsettia plant named ‘Jacaimee’, characterized by its inflorescences with creamy white-colored flower bracts; dark green-colored leaves with green-colored petioles; compact, uniform and upright plant habit; freely branching habit; early flowering, natural season flower maturity date is November 15 for plants grown in Encinitas, Calif; response time, about 7.5 weeks; and excellent post-production longevity.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The present Invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar ofPoinsettia plant, botanically known as Euphorbia pulcherrima Willd., andhereinafter referred to by the name ‘Jacaimee’.

[0002] The new Poinsettia a product of a planned breeding programconducted by the Inventor in Skibby, Denmark. The objective of thebreeding program is to create new Poinsettia cultivars having flowerbracts with desirable colors, uniform plant habit and excellentpost-production longevity.

[0003] The new Poinsettia is an induced mutation ofthe Poinsettiacultivar Pepride, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 10,183. Plants of thenew Poinsettia originated by exposing unrooted cuttings of thePoinsettia cultivar Pepride to X-ray radiation. The new Poinsettia wasdiscovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plantwithin a population of irradiated plants in a controlled environment inSkibby, Denmark, in 1998. The selection ofthis plant was based on itsattractive flower bract colors and good plant form and substance.

[0004] Asexual reproduction of the new Poinsettia by terminal cuttingstaken at Encinitas, Calif., since 1999, has shown that the uniquefeatures of this new Poinsettia are stable and reproduced true to typein successive generations of asexual reproduction.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0005] The following traits have been repeatedly observed and aredetermined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Jacaimee’. Thesecharacteristics in combination distinguish ‘Jacaimee’ as a new anddistinct cultivar:

[0006] 1. Inflorescences with creamy white-colored flower bracts.

[0007] 2. Dark green-colored leaves with green-colored petioles.

[0008] 3. Compact, uniform and upright plant habit.

[0009] 4. Freely branching habit.

[0010] 5. Early flowering, natural season flower maturity date isNovember 15 for plants grown in Encinitas, Calif; response time, about7.5 weeks.

[0011] 6. Excellent post-production longevity.

[0012] Plants of the new Poinsettia can be compared to plants of themutation parent, the cultivar Pepride. In side-by-side comparisonsconducted in Encinitas, Calif., plants of the new Poinsettia differedfrom plants of the cultivar Pepride in the following characteristics:

[0013] 1. Plants of the new Poinsettia are more compact and not asvigorous as plants of the cultivar Pepride.

[0014] 2. Flower bract color of plants of the new Poinsettia is creamwhite whereas flower bract color of plants of the cultivar Pepride isred.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

[0015] The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overallappearance of the new Poinsettia, showing the colors as true as it isreasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type.Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color valuescited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describethe colors of the new Poinsettia.

[0016] The photograph on the first sheet comprises a side perspectiveview of a typical plant of ‘Jacaimee’. The photograph at the top of thesecond sheet comprises a top perspective view of a typical plant of‘Jacaimee’. The photograph at the bottom of the second sheet is aclose-up view of typical leaves and flower bracts of ‘Jacaimee’ (top)and ‘Pepride’ (bottom). Plants used in the photographs were about 16weeks old; cyathia on the plants of the new Poinsettia were notcompletely developed when the photographs were taken.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

[0017] The new Poinsettia has not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment such as temperature, daylength and lightintensity, without, however, any variance in genotype. The followingobservations and measurements describe plants grown in Encinitas,Calif., under commercial practice in a glass-covered greenhouse with daytemperatures about 24° C., night temperatures about 19° C., and lightlevels about 4,000 foot-candles. Single plants were grown in 16.5-cmpots, pinched one time, and flowered under naturally lengtheningnyctoperiods during the fall. Plants used for the description were about16 to 18 weeks old.

[0018] In the following description, color references are made to TheRoyal Horticultural Society Colour Chart except where general terms ofordinary dictionary significance are used.

[0019] Botanical Classification: Euphorbia pulcherrima Willd. cultivarJacaimee.

[0020] Parentage: Induced mutation of Euphorbia pulcherrima Willd.cultivar Pepride, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 10,183.

[0021] Propagation:

[0022]Type cutting.—Terminal cuttings.

[0023]Time to initiate roots.—About 10 days at 20 to 22° C.

[0024]Time to develop roots.—About 28 days at 20 to 22° C.

[0025]Rooting habit.—Thick, fibrous and freely-branching.

[0026] Plant Description:

[0027]Plant form.—Inverted triangle, top of plant rounded; mounding.

[0028]Growth habit.—Uniform, compact and upright plant habit. Uprightbranch angle. Freely branching; branching is enhanced by removing theshoot apex; about 5 lateral branches develop after removal of theterminal apex. Moderate vigor.

[0029]Plant height.—About 22 cm.

[0030]Plant diameter or spread.—About 45 cm.

[0031]Crop time.—From unrooted cuttings to a flowering plant in a16.5-cm container, about 16 weeks are required.

[0032]Stem description.—Lateral branch length: About 19 cm. Lateralbranch diameter: About 1.2 cm. Internode length: About 1.5 cm. Stemcolor: 137C.

[0033]Foliage description.—Alternate, simple. Quantity of leaves perlateral branch: About 9. Length: About 9 cm. Width: About 6 cm. Shape:Mostly ovate; irregularly lobed. Apex: Acuminate. Base: Acute torounded. Margin: Entire. Texture: Mostly glabrous with very slightpubescence on lower surface. Surface: Smooth, not rugose.

[0034]Color.—Young foliage, upper surface: Darker than 147A. Youngfoliage, lower surface: 147B. Mature foliage, upper surface: Darker than147A; venation, 145A. Mature foliage, lower surface: 147A; venation,145C.

[0035]Petiole.—Length: About 3.5 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm. Color: 145C.

[0036] Inflorescence Description:

[0037]Inflorescence type and habit.—Inflorescences are compound corymbsof cyathia with colored flower bracts subtending the cyathia.

[0038]Natural flowering season.—Autumn/winter in Northern Hemisphere.Flower initiation and development can be induced under long nyctoperiodconditions. Early flowering, response time, about 7.5 weeks; naturalseason flower maturity date is November 15 for plants grown inEncinitas, Calif.

[0039]Post-production longevity.—Plants ofthe new Poinsettia maintaingood substance and bract color for about 4 to 6 weeks under interiorconditions and for about 8 weeks under greenhouse conditions.

[0040]Quantity of inflorescences.—One per lateral branch, usually about5 per plant.

[0041]Inflorescence size.—Diameter: About 22 cm. Height (depth): About2.5 cm.

[0042]Flower bracts.—Quantity of flower bracts per inflorescence:Usually about 12 primary bracts and about 6 to 8 smaller secondarybracts per inflorescence. Length, largest bracts: About 10.5 cm; stalkabout 3 cm. Width, largest bracts: About 8 cm. Shape: Mostly ovate,lobed. Apex: Acuminate. Base: Acute. Margin: Entire. Texture: Glabrous,velvety. Surface: Smooth, not rugose. Orientation: Mostly horizontal.

[0043]Color.—Developing, upper surface: More cream than 145A.Developing, lower surface: 144B to 144C. Mature, upper surface: 11C to12D. Mature, lower surface: Slightly more green than 11C.

[0044]Cyathia.—Quantity: Usually about 18 per corymb. Diameter ofcyathia cluster: About 3 by 3.5 cm. Length: About 7 mm. Width: About 5mm. Shape: Ovate.

[0045]Color.—Immature: 144A. Mature: 144B to 144C.

[0046]Peduncle.—Length: About 4 mm. Aspect: Strong, erect. Color: 144B.

[0047]Stamens.—Stamen number: Typically about 20 per cyathium. Anthershape: Oval. Anther length: About 1 mm. Anther color: 46A. Amount ofpollen: Scarce. Pollen color: 7A. Pistils: Not observed. Nectary number:One per cyathia. Nectary color: 12B.

[0048] Disease Resistance: Resistance to pathogens common to Poinsettiashas not been observed on plants grown under commercial conditions.

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Poinsettia plant named ‘Jacaimee’, as illustrated and described. 